BUILD's Prevention program engages youth (during the school day, after school, and during school breaks) in structured programming that provides academic assistance, life-skills workshops, social/recreational activities, mentoring opportunities and service learning projects to ensure that youth have the chances of leading safe, productive lives in order to become the next generation of leaders in our communities. Through the promotion of positive youth development, youth are equipped with the life skills and supports necessary to resist the lure of street gangs, violence and drugs. As these youth develop a steady support system and knowledge base, they are referred to BUILDing Futures to further prepare themselves for academic and career success. The Prevention Program reaches a minimum of 1,000 participants a year, 200 through the after-school program.

In-School Activities: Prevention Specialists implement our Violence/Gang Prevention Curriculum in the classroom or with small groups of youth with identified behavioral issues. The goal is to equip the participants with tools to resist violence, drugs and gangs while developing life skills, such as decision making, goal setting and conflict resolution. The most at-risk youth are recruited for involvement in structured after-school activities that allow them to apply their newly acquired life skills and move toward being at-hope youth.